Nonprofit Website Checklist: 40 Points to Check Before You Launch

How to use this checklist

Open your site on a phone, not a desktop, and go through each section marking yes, no or not sure. Most visitors to a charity site arrive on a phone from social media, email or search, so that is the version that matters. A "not sure" counts as a no until someone confirms it.

If you are planning a new site, hand this list to whoever is building it and ask which points are included. For a wider view of what a build involves, see our nonprofit WordPress development guide.

First screen and navigation

A first-time visitor should know what you do, who you help and how to give within a few seconds, without scrolling.

1. The first screen says what the organisation does in one plain sentence.
2. A donate button is visible in the header on every page, on mobile as well as desktop.
3. The main menu has seven items or fewer, in words the public uses, not internal program names.
4. There is a clear path for each main audience: people who need help, donors, volunteers.
5. If you provide urgent services, the phone number or "get help" link is on the first screen.
6. The search or menu finds your most requested page in two taps.

Donations

The donation path should take as few steps as your provider allows, and you should test it with a real gift, not assume it works.

7. The donate button goes straight to a form, not to a page about ways to give.
8. One-time and monthly options are both offered.
9. Suggested amounts are shown, with a line on what each amount does if you can say so honestly.
10. The form works on a phone and does not ask for information you do not need.
11. The donor receives a confirmation and receipt by email. For registered charities issuing official tax receipts, confirm the receipt content with your donation provider or accountant.
12. The page is served over HTTPS and shows no browser security warnings.
13. Someone on staff makes a small test gift every quarter.

If you have not chosen a tool yet, our comparison of donation plugins for Canadian charities covers the common options.

Trust and transparency

Donors and funders look for proof that the organisation is real, accountable and current. Missing basics cost more gifts than a dated design does.

14. Your legal name and, if you are a registered charity, your registration number appear in the footer or on the about page.
15. Board members and senior staff are listed.
16. The latest annual report and financial statements are easy to find.
17. A privacy policy explains what you collect and why. This is especially important if you collect donor or client information.
18. Contact details include a real way to reach a person.
19. The news or blog section has been updated recently, or has been removed. An abandoned news page makes the whole organisation look inactive.
20. Impact claims are specific and sourced from your own records.

Volunteers, events and newsletter

Every way of getting involved should end in a form that works and a reply that arrives.

21. The volunteer form asks only what you need at the first step.
22. Every form sends a confirmation to the person and a notification to a monitored inbox.
23. Events show date, time, place, cost and how to register, and past events are archived or removed.
24. Newsletter sign-up is on the home page and footer, and records consent in line with Canadian anti-spam rules.
25. Someone has submitted every form in the last three months to prove it still works.

Accessibility

An accessible site can be used by people with low vision, people who navigate by keyboard, and people using screen readers. Some organisations have legal duties here depending on province and size, and many funders expect it, so check what applies to you.

26. Text has strong contrast against its background, including text placed over photos.
27. Every meaningful image has alt text.
28. You can reach every link, menu and form field using only the Tab key, and you can see where the focus is.
29. Every form field has a visible label, not only placeholder text.
30. Headings are used in order, so a screen reader user can skim the page.
31. Videos have captions.

Speed, search and security

These are the points most visitors never notice when they are right and always notice when they are wrong.

32. The home page loads quickly on mobile data. Oversized photos are the usual cause when it does not. See how to speed up WordPress.
33. Each page has its own title and description for search results.
34. WordPress core, theme and plugins are up to date.
35. Backups run daily and are stored away from the web server.
36. Each staff member has their own login, and former staff have been removed.

Ownership and handover

The organisation, not an individual or an agency, should own every account the site depends on.

37. The domain name is registered to the organisation with a shared email address.
38. Hosting, donation platform, analytics and email tool logins are stored somewhere the board can reach them.
39. You know who to call when the site breaks, and that arrangement is in writing.
40. Your agreement says you can take the site files and a backup with you if you leave.

Point 39 is where most small charities fall down. Our guide to what a nonprofit website maintenance plan should include explains what that written arrangement should cover.

What to fix first

Fix anything that blocks a gift or puts data at risk first, then trust, then everything else. A simple order works for most organisations:

If the list of "no" answers is long, a rebuild may cost less effort than patching. We design and build WordPress websites for nonprofits and charities at no charge, and the organisation pays for hosting and a maintenance and support plan that is quoted in writing before any work starts. The build includes the core pages, a donation page connected to the platform you already use, volunteer, event and newsletter forms, and accessible contrast, headings and form labels. Read the full terms, including what is not covered, on the free website for nonprofits page, or see how we work with charities on our nonprofit page.